Ashton Jeanty was born with a smile that never seems to go away. He grew up dreaming of being an elite football player. He moved to Boise to make his life better. He stayed at Boise State – and made all our lives better.
Jeanty didn’t win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night.
That’s OK.
His smile, his dream, his life, our lives – we will forever cherish the memories of a 2024 season loaded with joy, otherwise known as the greatest individual season in the history of Boise State athletics.
That’s more than OK.

Mike Prater
Most trophies end up in the garage. The Heisman is special, mostly, worthy of the fanciest of trophy cases, and the Saturday night headlines will sting beyond Sunday morning.
Here’s hoping the hangover doesn’t linger forever, and it won’t.
There are 11,000-plus scholarship players competing at the highest level of college football. There is no shame in finishing second. There is no shame in being the most influential player – on the field – for an entire season. There is no shame in a Group of Five running back crashing a party designed for Power Five quarterbacks. There is no shame in leading a team to great, new, wonderful heights.
Jeanty, as we know by now, is all the above and more.
He isn’t a Heisman winner, but he remains everything we thought he was when he boarded that flight to New York City.
He isn’t coming home with the trophy, but he comes home with memories for a lifetime. For himself. For his family. For the Boise State football family. For Boise.
Jeanty’s local status will forever be legendary.
Jeanty’s national celebrity will continue to flourish.
Jeanty’s future as a professional athlete is brighter than his smile.
No doubt, No. 2 deserved better than finishing second Saturday night, though just seeing him on that stage was beyond surreal. The Heisman snub will hurt until kickoff of the Fiesta Bowl. In no way does that snub diminish the magic of an unforgettable person, an unforgettable season, an unforgettable legacy.
That’s perfectly OK.
MY OFFICIAL HEISMAN BALLOT
- Jeanty. The most productive, dominant player this season. Not debatable. His magical year started with loyalty – that must be rewarded as we navigate a broken sport that has lost all loyalty. His magical season started with 267 yards and six TDs – he spent the next 100 days leading his team to a No. 3 seed in the first CFP national tournament. Powerful combination.
- Dillon Gabriel. Boring – but the Heisman was never intended to be a popularity contest. Consistent top-10 quarterback on the No. 1 team in the nation. Impressive stats. Great passer. Good runner. Strong leader. Never lost a game.
- Travis Hunter. Wonderful person – I have no issues with his flashy confidence. Wonderful player – I love to watch him play. It’s too bad he took a beating in Boise for being popular. It’s too bad he won the Heisman – just because he was popular.
Mike Prater has been a Heisman Trophy voter for more than 20 years. He is the Bronco Nation News columnist who co-hosts Idaho Sports Talk (KTIK 95.3 FM on Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m.) and the Boise State football postgame show (KBOI 670 AM). He is on Twitter @MikeFPrater and can be reached at mikefprater@gmail.com